HIV Specimen Repository

The HIV Specimen Repository is a collection of frozen plasma, PBMC, serum and PaxGene specimens donated by HIV infected patients cared for at the University of Washington HIV clinics (the Madison and Roosevelt Virology Clinics). Specimens are collected in Madison Clinic and in Roosevelt Clinic. Coded clinical data gleaned from the patients' electronic medical record is linked to specimens making translational studies on the virologic, immunologic, genetic and demographic determinants of HIV disease and associated opportunistic infections possible.

Purpose

To establish a repository of plasma, PBMC and serum specimens from clinically well-characterized HIV-infected patients and to provide these specimens to approved investigators conducting HIV research.

The Repository Components

The major component of the Repository is the collection of prospectively collected Plasma, PBMC, serum and PaxGene samples from HIV infected patients. Participating patients are asked to donate 30 mL of blood three times each year (roughly one donation every four months). Blood is separated into plasma and PBMC fractions and frozen in aliquots of 1.5 mL (plasma) or 5 million cells (PBMC).

The Repository can also serve as specimen collection and storage service for approved investigators who lack the funds or infrastructure needed to procure the clinical specimens necessary for their research.

Subject-Imposed Restrictions on the Repository

Subjects can consent to participate in the Repository at a variety of levels, can withdraw their consent at any time and can request that their specimens be destroyed. Restrictions that patients may place on the use of their specimens are:

No restrictions (Y/N)

Use in genetic studies that may discover previously undiagnosed or unrecognized conditions or susceptibilities to conditions (Y/N)

Use in studies conducted by investigators affiliated with the CFAR Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS study) (Y/N)

Inform me of previously undiagnosed or unrecognized conditions or susceptibilities to conditions or family relationships (Y/N)

Inform my primary care provider of these conditions (Y/N)

Repository Subjects Profile and Specimen Collection

Any patient who is cared for at the University of Washington HIV Clinics and is enrolled in University of Washington Patient Registry may join the Repository. We are particularly interested in recruiting subjects with the following clinical characteristics:

Newly HIV-infected patients, defined as individuals who have become HIV-infected within 1 year of enrollment,

If you are interested in using specimens in the Repository, please fill out a Request for UW HIV Information System (UWHIS) Data, Specimens and Referral Services form. [1]If you have any question regarding the request process call the repository manager, Michalina Montaño, at 206-744-4630 or email at: cfarcrc at uw.edu. Your request will be reviewed by the HIV Specimen Repository Steering Committee. If your request is approved, we will make the appropriate arrangements to have the specimens and clinical data sent to you.